Quick response and Mutual Aid prevent Park Ridge fire from spreading

A basement fire at Valentino's restaurant on Spring Valley Road in Park Ridge, went to three alarms yesterday afternoon. According to fire officials, the fire started in the basement storage area near some electrical equipment. The fire was extinguished a half hour after the first alarm was reported. This photo, taken after the fire was put out, shows the windows in the upper stories open to vent the considerable smoke the fire generated. As of Thursday morning, the smoke had dissipated but the smell of smoke lingered, having permeated the interior of the restaurant.

Valentino's restaurant on Spring Valley Road remained closed this morning after a fire in the basement late yesterday afternoon. While the fire damage appears to be minimal, smoke permeated the entire building. Utility service to the building had not been restored, pending an inspection by the Park Ridge construction code official.

According the Park Ridge Volunteer Fire Department Chief Peter Mauro, emergency services responded to the fire alarm, reported at 3:25 p.m. The restaurant was closed at the time and the owner was the only person on site. "While en route to the scene, the owner called 911 to report smoke in the building," he said.

At that time, Mauro called a second alarm.

"That gets the utility company, the ambulance corps and the Rapid Intervention Team to respond." The team is on site and prepared to effect rescues of firefighters or building occupants if the need arises.

Mauro said that Park Ridge Police Officer Scott Laughton was first on the scene and reported smoke in the building. Deputy Fire Chief William Deidtrich was the first fire officer on site and reported smoke and heat emanating from the back of the building.

A third alarm was called, Mauro said, to ensure that there was sufficient manpower on hand if the fire spread from basement. "The building is very old and the rooms are small," he said, adding that the building is primarily a wooden structure and has interior wooden paneling and wainscoting as well as combustibles in the kitchen. "We had to be prepared," Mauro said. "Hillsdale, Montvale, River Vale and Woodcliff Lake responded," he said.

The fire apparently started in a storage area in the basement near some electrical equipment, Mauro said. Firefighters, using one hose, made their way down a steep narrow stairway to the basement and were able to extinguish the fire quickly, he said.

The Bergen County Arson Squad was asked to respond, Mauro said, once the fire was extinguished and firefighters determined there were no other involved areas.

"The fire started while the restaurant was closed and no one was cooking," he said, adding that is it not uncommon for the Arson Squad to be called the scene of a fire at a business. "We cooperated with the Arson Squad and were at the scene until about 7:30 p.m."

An inspector from Bergen County Board of Health who was on site this morning declined to comment on the investigation, which is ongoing.

There were no injuries reported, although the Tri-Boro Volunteer Ambulance Corps did evaluate the owner since he had been in the smoke-filled building.